ABFFE Releases Tools for Banned Books Week Internet Read-Out

The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression [1] has released tools to help booksellers participate in the Internet Read-Out that will occur during Banned Books Week, from September 24 - October 1.

ABFFE has produced a short video demonstrating how easy it is to record customers reading from their favorite banned books.  It has also created written instructions that provide a step-by-step description of the process of posting the videos on the Internet.

“The Internet Read-Out is a great way to give customers the opportunity to express their support for Banned Books Week,” ABFFE President Chris Finan said.  “The process is simple, inexpensive and will be a lot of fun for booksellers and their customers.”

The Internet Read-Out will make it possible for anyone anywhere in the world to participate in Banned Books Week.  A special channel on YouTube will feature videos from a wide variety of sources.  While most will be created by individuals, many will come from bookstores, libraries, publishers, and other organizations supporting Banned Books Week.  Celebrities will also participate.  The American Library Association and the Association of American Publishers are helping produce videos of authors whose books have been challenged, including Judy Blume, Jay Asher, Ellen Hopkins, and Lauren Myracle.

Most people will post the videos themselves following directions on the Banned Books Week website, www.bannedbooksweek.org. [2]  ABFFE will simplify the process for bookstores by taking responsibility for ensuring that the videos are formatted and posted.

To see how easy it is to create a Banned Books Week video, view below. Written instructions are available here [3].  For further information, e-mail ABFFE at info@abffe.org [4].

ABFFE provides a variety of other resources for Banned Books Week, including an online handbook [5], which describes a variety of promotional activities, including the creation of simple displays. The Banned Books Week handbook also features posters that can be downloaded and reproduced at a local copy shop for a nominal fee.

For a limited time, ABFFE is also discounting its popular Freadom products. The Freadom T-shirt is available in four colors — black, royal blue, charcoal gray and forest green — for $15 ($10 for orders of 12 or more). Imprinting is available for $1 per shirt.

There are also Freadom buttons, bumper stickers, and bookmarks. Small Freadom buttons are sold in mixed-color bags of 100 ($35). An order of 100 bookmarks costs just $5. (Download an order form here. [6])

The American Library Association also provides Banned Books Week promotional material through its website [7].